Monday's letters: Of questionable value

I read your article on Jan. 17 concerning the use of cranial cold laser therapy to treat somatic ailments. This is pseudoscience, and its promoters are utilizing the well-known placebo response.

I read your article on Jan. 17 concerning the use of cranial cold laser therapy to treat somatic ailments. This is pseudoscience, and its promoters are utilizing the well-known placebo response.Many common conditions have a variable and self-limited course. If improvement follows a therapy of questionable value, it is easy to erroneously link response with treatment. Also, cranial cold laser therapy violates an important tenet of science in that there is no plausible mechanism of action (as indicated in the article). How does it possibly work?There is a method in place to safeguard against useless therapies and protect people from unnecessary treatments. It is the controlled, randomized double-blinded clinical study, which follows the principles of the scientific method. Until the claims of cranial cold laser therapy are validated in this way, its use should be strongly discouraged. As opposed to just being ineffective, use of this therapy squanders resources and discourages proper medical evaluation.Dr. Daniel A. FalconSpartanburg

Sometimes it appears that those who most ardently claim America is a “Christian nation” seem most reluctant to support the “Golden Rule” with regard to American foreign policy.

Matthew 7:12 says, “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” Seems pretty clear and straight forward, right?Isn’t this is one of the foundational principles of Christianity? So how does it make sense that this fundamental Christian principle has no place in the foreign policy of a “Christian nation”?Bill BurchSpartanburg

Washington does not understand that the majority of the millions of jobs American manufacturers have sent overseas for cheap labor will never come back.It was textiles here in the South that started the trend. Now most everything you need and buy is made in China or other foreign countries. You name it — toys, tools, electronics, both men’s and women’s clothes, sport shoes, and you could go on and on.You could come back at me and say, “Buy only American.” That’s almost impossible in the clothing line. I recently bought a navy blue blazer, beige coat, white shirt and sport shoes, all with foreign labels. And I went shopping with three women at the major department stores. Most of the women’s dresses and suits had labels saying “Made in China” or some other country.

And the prices are not cheap. Cheap labor, but high prices.Wayne ClaryGaffney

Thank you so much for Betty Montgomery’s delightful “Garden Cameos” column. Her knowledge and passion for her subject come through in her simple, conversational tone and make her column one of my favorites.Every day there is grim news greeting me in the paper. Ms. Montgomery is cheer!Carolyn Rhodes RobertsSpartanburg

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